3.) Cardinals didn't draft a linebacker for first time since 2019
In recent memory, the Cardinals seemed to always draft linebackers at some point in their draft. For the first time since 2019 (the year Kyler Murray was drafted), Arizona did not draft a linebacker to add to the defense, This is important to note because Monti Ossenfort has a choice to make on current Cardinals’ linebacker Zaven Collins. Drafted in 2021 as a first round pick, Collins’ fifth-year option is up in the air and it will be up to Ossenfort to decide whether or not he picks it up.
Should the Cardinals decide to pick up Collins’ fifth-year option, it will cost them $13.2 million to do so and they will need to decide by May 2nd. Ossenfort has spoken of Collins and the value he brought to a new defensive scheme where he played outside more than he did to start his career. While Collins has not had the most productive career in Arizona, he certainly has added value against the run. It will be interesting to see what the Cardinals do with this situation, seeing as how they did not draft a replacement for Collins.